Man charged with attempted murder
(Article dated: May 9, 2002)

Orkney man Kevin Barry Casey is due to stand trial later this month in Edinburgh’s High Court charged with attempted murder.

Casey (22), whose address was given previously as Gaitnip Farm, St Ola, is charged with assaulting Barry Rendall by threatening him with violence, striking him on the head and knocking him to the ground, repeatedly punching and kicking him, striking him on the body with a knife or similar instrument and stamping on his head all to his severe injury.

The alleged attempted murder is said to have taken place at the Strynd, in Kirkwall, on Boxing Day, last year.

Casey is also alleged to have attacked another man on the same date and at the same place. It is claimed he assaulted Stephen Rendall and struck him on the body with a knife or similar instrument, whereby he fell to the ground, kicked him on the head and stood on his head to his injury.

Casey is further charged with carrying out two other assaults in Kirkwall on February 1, this year.

It is alleged that at the public bar at the St Ola Hotel, Harbour Street, Casey assaulted Michael Firth and seized him and pushed him, whereby he fell to the ground, and struggled with him.

He is also charged with assaulting Michael Firth in Bridge Street on the same date. It is alleged that he caused him to fall to the ground and repeatedly punched him on the head and kicked him on the body to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment.

Casey is alleged to have committed the latter two assaults after having been granted bail at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on December 27.

His trial has been set down for a sitting due to commence at the High Court in Edinburgh on May 27.